James Webb and Linda Margulies

Consulting teacher James Webb has been named the new induction director of the Hart District’s Peer Assistance and Review (PAR) Program. He will assume the new role in August for the start of the 2013-14 school year. Webb takes over the position following the retirement of long-time teacher Linda Margulies, who will retire this June after 13 years as the induction director of the acclaimed PAR program and 27 years with the Hart School District.

Webb earned his bachelor of arts and masters of science degrees at Florida State University and started his teaching career in 2000 at Saugus High School where he served as the English Department Chair for two years and as co-advisor for the Key Club.

Webb also taught at West Ranch High School where he was advisor to the Make-a-Wish Foundation Club and served as the school representative to the COC articulation meetings to encourage vertical planning for post-secondary studies before beginning his six-year tenure with the PAR program as a consulting teacher.

“I became a teacher because I love learning, not because I love to teach, but because I love understanding my students and being energized by their passion,” Webb said.

PAR is in its thirteenth year in the Hart district.  It serves to assist new and veteran teachers with their practice.  The success of the program has led to national attention and a complimentary visit by the California Department of Education as states are being required to adapt similar programs.

Margulies earned her bachelor’s degree from UCLA but her decision to become a teacher was made long before that. She shares that she fell in love with teaching because of her fabulous autoharp-playing and singing fifth-grade teacher, Mr. Jones.  She began teaching in the Hart District in 1986 with three years at Arroyo Seco Junior High School and 10 years at Saugus High. Students at both sites chose her as teacher of the year. She became a consulting teacher with the PAR program in 2000 and became the lead consulting teacher and Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) induction director in 2004.

“I have loved my work with new and veteran teachers over the past 13 years,” Margulies said. “It’s easy to retire knowing that the program will be in excellent hands with the leadership of James Webb.”